Reviews by madstalk

The diversity of the gameplay (i.e. shooting things) is much better this time and the excellent atmosphere and setting (this time Wake battles through a Arizona like desert town) remain as Alan Wake battles his evil double Mr. Scratch.

The big issue is that the central conceit of the story is a time shifting thing that leads to you replaying the game's three levels over and over again. Thankfully each level is more streamlined as you play through it and you can have some interesting conversations with the townsfolk each time. Still, it can get a bit tedious.

The added in time attack mode is a pretty nice bonus that adds some value to a game that really needs it.

Alan Wake is all about the atmosphere. The light dark dynamic that is a major features of both its plot and its combat leads to some very intense battles. The game itself is fairly linear but the environment created by Remedy is impressive in its scope and graphical quality.

Sadly much of the game takes place in an inky darkness so you don't really get to appreciate the amazing vistas and odd corners and ends that are present in the game world. This is also a very plot heavy game with tons of cinematic movies. Sadly the plot is mostly incomprehensible and the character of Alan Wake can be pretty laughable ridiculous. It is often a game weighed down by its fervent desire to turn everything into a metaphor or a badly written pulp novel. Still, despite the strange confusing storyline it looks and plays pretty great and is recommended for fans of action-adventure games. Its more Hitchcock then Shakespeare - but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Also, the copious amounts of collectibles are more annoying than useful though they do encourage you to really explore the fantastic world.

For the first few hours Doctor Zhivago is an absolute masterpiece. David Lean's depiction of one of the more tumultuous times in Russian history is breathtaking in its scope and touching in its story of a family trying to make it against large odds.

For me, the problems crop up when the movie becomes less of an epic scope and more of a personal romantic tale, detailing the relationship between the titular Zhivago and his mistress Lara. It seems as though Lean was so focused on creating his grand tale of the Russian revolution and World War One that he forgot to lay believable foundations for the Lara-Zhivago relationship.

Based on what you actually see in the film a one week fling seems more reasonable then what the film actually gives you. Still, outside of this shaky bit of story, Doctor Zhivago is a towering achievement. Omar Sharif is great, it has some very creating directing and it is one of the most beautiful films ever put out.

Very nicely paced and set-up for 9/10s of the film. The scheming and characterizations are spot on and make this film a joy to watch. For the ending, however, Kubrick really has to jump through some ridiculous hoops and awkward set-ups to make it happen. It doesn't unglue the rest of the film but it certainly makes it so that the corners are peeling up a bit in the end.

When I sat down to view Haywire I honestly thought that the only thing I had to overcome was the non acting performance of star Gina Carano. Get over that and there would be some Steven Soderbergh deliciousness to snack on. You'd also figure that even if she couldn't act she could, at least, kick a convincing ass or two.

Sadly, Haywire just doesn't work. If Carano spent more time fighting trained killers than her stilted dialogue it might be a winner. Instead, the majority of the film is convoluted, needlessly labyrinthine plotting that meanders across the globe. Haywire has been portrayed in its trailers as a smart. sexy action-thriller but it is none of the above. Instead it is a bit of a lumbering beast that only briefly allows its star to shine.

If I were to sum up Certified Copy with one word it would be passionate. Passion seeps from this film. It is in the lead performances of Juliette Binoche and William Shimell and certainly present in the way Abbas Kiarostami shoots the scenes. It's even sporadically present in the odd disjointed romance that is central to the story. Measured in moments of beauty and fine acting Certified Copy stands alongside other cinema heavyweights. Taken as a whole, however, it can be a strange, meandering overly ambivalent experience. This might appeal to those looking for a challenge but not those looking for a movie to get lost in.

Prey was stuck in development hell for almost a decade. Initial anticipation was fervent, but when it was finally released in 2006, no one really seemed to care.

That is a shame because not only did Prey offer some enticing gameplay gimmicks with its portals and gravity defying gunplay but it also served up a rather stellar story. The atmosphere and environments experienced by Tommy as he strives to save his loved ones from an alien menace.

It is one of a few first person shooters that actually tries to humanize its characters and it, in my opinion, serves up one of gamings more memorable and likeable leads in reluctant Native American Tommy. It treats his back story and heritage with a respect not often found in the stereotype filled gaming world. Combine that with tricky, puzzles, solid gameplay and great writing and you have one of the more under appreciated shooters of the last decade or so.

Elite Squad is a mostly fine piece of action film making that manages to separate itself from its brethren through its frenetic, kinetic pacing. The story itself is serviceable - elite BOPE leader craves retirement, searches for a replacement in two seemingly different personalities. One is the live wire Neto, the other is idealistic lawyer in training Matias.

The action set pieces themselves aren't particularly memorable outside of the Brazilian favela setting but the movie does an excellent job at examining the complicated relationships between the Brazilian police and the general public. It's the rare action film that actually has something meaningful and important to say as is expected from Bus 174 director Jose Padilha. It is this skillful combination of social commentary and pure shooting action that makes the film stand out. That being said the documentary style cinematography quickly grates on the visual nerves and the ending is a bit of a cop out - albeit a cop out that really leaves the story open to interpretation. It is one of those ending that will either leave your mind blown by the bold artistic decision or will really aggravate you because it fails to wrap up the film's most important central question how far can nobility take a man in an ignoble, inhuman world? It won't be for everyone but it is still a rather fine movie.

The first season is quite uneven but this show really picks up stride in seasons 2 and 3. The ensemble cast is impressive and entertaining and are able to take the departures of key cast members in stride. The story lines stay fresh and interesting and the town of Pawnee is fleshed out by goofy side characters and odd bits of background information.

The documentary has a fascinating likely under appreciated subject: the unexplained mass disappearances of one of nature's most important insects - the honeybee. It explores potential roots of the problem (placing much of the blame on big chemical) and takes a very systematic approach to explaining the issue. However, while the subject matter is fascinating the presentation is shoddy at best. The personalities here are mostly droll and the film is filled with obnoxious narration and cheesy illustrative animations. It's an intriguing watch for the revelations within but is by no means, a rip roaring fun ride.